A group of enthusiastic researchers has been formed to commence an extensive, on-going historical survey of the Central Coast-Hawkesbury-Nepean districts, to record evidence that a Bronze Age Egyptian-Phoenician colony once thrived here.
Leading the “Central Coast Pre-Cook History Survey” is well-known historical researcher/author, Rex Gilroy of Katoomba. Together with his wife and fellow researcher, Heather, he has spent the past 30 years researching and translating large numbers of mystery rock inscriptions found throughout the Brisbane Waters area and inland.
The findings suggest the colony was primarily a farming one, which besides feeding the colonists, would have supplied food for ships crews sailing from here in search of mineral-bearing areas elsewhere along our coastline.
“Ancient Aboriginal rock art of the Central Coast-Hawkesbury River area includes depictions of strange vessels, even human figures, suggestive of possible Phoenician, Chinese, Spanish and other explorers having sailed these waters over the centuries. There are even fossil hominid footprints pre-dating Aboriginal times hereabouts. Our survey will investigate all these mysteries in the years ahead, but the evidence for the ancient colony will undoubtedly occupy much of our time”, says Rex.
The Gilroys believe the ‘Gosford Colony’ dates from the period of the Egyptian Old Kingdom [2780-2100 BC], the age of the Kariong Egyptian hieroglyphic site, according to overseas Egyptologists who support its authenticity.
The Gilroys however by-pass these inscriptions of apparent Australian-based Pharaohs of the Gosford, and other colonies, in favour of the wealth of information provided by the mass of rock inscriptions found elsewhere throughout the district. These, they say, are more important for they not only provide names of other local rulers, but accounts of ship arrivals and departures, the activities of women and children, farmers and fishermen’s prayers for good fish catches!
Rex Gilroy points out that, by the height of the Bronze Age [2000-1400 BC] the Pharaohs were dispatching often great fleets of large wooden ships, manned by expert Phoenician seamen, and loaded with miners, settlers and supplies, into the Indian Ocean, to establish mining colonies in south-east Asia. They sailed in search not only of gold, but for copper and tin [used to produce bronze].
Just how far they sailed remains a mystery. However, Rex Gilroy points to the former mummification rites of the Torres Strait natives which paralleled those of the Egyptians around 3,000 years ago. Crumbling stepped stone pyramids standing amid the remains of long-abandoned mining colonies near Cooktown, Sarina, Proserpine and Gympie in Queensland, as well as in New England, and at a secret south coastal location [currently being investigated by the Gilroys], all suggest long-term colonisation.
“There can be no doubt that some colonies were so large that they required the establishment of local ruling classes. The Sarina and Gympie colonies may have had 2,000-3,000 inhabitants at their peaks, and the Gosford colony alone had to have supported this many people”, argues Rex.
Together with field assistant Greg Foster, Rex and Heather Gilroy have uncovered large numbers of rocks bearing a mixed Egypto-Phoenician, and also Celto-Phoenician script, which Rex points out, would have evolved through generations of racial intermixture and the subsequent mixing of cultures.
“Some of these inscriptions include the name of a ruler, Am-tet, and a ‘memorial tablet’, found near Gosford records his body being ferried “upriver to his tomb of stone”. Another inscription describes the construction of a large stone temple somewhere back in the hills 3,000 years ago.
Our task is so great that I am now training other young men and women willing to assist in our project”, said Rex.
The Gilroys admit their ‘revolutionary’ research goes unrecognised by conservative Australian academia. However, they are receiving support from American University archaeologists involved in pre-Columbus evidence of American discovery and exploration. “A number of American cultural diffusionists and epigraphers recognise the mixed scripts we are finding here in Australia as being virtually identical to examples coming to light in the United States.
In this light, the Central Coast, evidence has the potential to help overturn all traditional teaching concerning our ‘British’ discovery”, added Rex.
Any readers able to assist the Gilroys with information helpful to
their investigations can contact them at:
PO Box 202, Katoomba. NSW 2780;
Phone 02 4782 3441
and email: randhgilroy@optusnet.com.au.